The Record Book
by my9thamor
Summary: Everything's hectic for Natsume since he joined the soccer team. But it's not the incoming championship he's worried about. It's Mikan, who suddenly started ignoring him. All thanks to the record book she gave him. Please read and review :D NxM
1. Prologue

_**The Record Book**_

_**Based from a true love story, and the way I wish it could have ended.**_

**Prologue**

_Ever since I went to Alice Academy, my life completely changed. I have grown into a lady, matured and set reasonable goals in life. Unlike when I was 10, I only thought of fun and becoming a princess in her own huge castle. I had experienced several hardships and trials. From pain, weariness and tears, I have learned. And now that the war between the rebel groups and the school is finally over, everybody, including me, is now at peace. Everyone else can enjoy their lives and live life to the fullest, in order to achieve their goals._

_I'm Mikan Sakura, age 18, not the immature child everyone thought of me once. I'm still optimistic though, and I always keep on brightening the saddest people I encounter with my comforting smile. Seeing them happy because of me is enough to make my day._

_I currently live a simple life as an extraordinary student. People look up to me like I am a hero, thinking that I am the most talented and gifted girl in the Academy. They idolize my theft and nullification alices, referring to having two very incredible powers altogether as being very lucky. I have several loving friends and connections, enough luxuries, and more-than-deserved grades. I am everyone's role model, and it is my responsibility not to fail their expectations from me._

_They say that with great power comes great responsibility but I have experienced a lot of traumatizing events since I was ten. Modesty aside, I believe that being a leader is sort of a piece of cake for me._

_I have everything I wanted and I'm more than happy to achieve these, but I can't help but feel that there is still a missing puzzle in my life. It's very frustrating to not know what it is. _

_I mean, I'm in my Golden Age. _

_What else could go missing?_

Natsume closed the record book quickly, obviously highly affected by Mikan's words. He was only on the first page and yet, it felt like his heart was running a marathon.

"Why did Mikan give me her own journal book?"

**A/N: I'll be focusing on this first before "A Week Full of Surprises" just to inform you :)**


	2. The Norm Festival

**A/N: Nothing beats writing fanfictions while working as an OJT. LOL. Enjoy this next chapter. :)  
**

**Chapter 1 - The Norm Festival  
**

Natsume was very busy playing soccer last week that he barely had enough time to attend his classes and meet with his friends. Next week will be the most important week of his school year, the championship the whole school has been anticipating. He went through trainings that stressed him out more than he thought it would. Academics and athletics don't mix up well for him, especially when he prefers the latter a lot more.

He hated going to class starting from the time when he began practicing his sport, the reason of which is over-fatigue. It's a good thing Persona wrote an excuse letter to the High School Principal, who came out to be a great fan of soccer. He approved immediately, provided that he'd be given a free VIP ticket to the championship. Persona did so wholeheartedly for he is the coach of the Alice Academy Soccer Team. And his team will entirely lose without Natsume.

Because the Great War has finally been dealt with, Alice Academy negotiated with schools outside its premises about extra-curricular activities that can help the students develop their skills and the like. The said schools agreed but they demanded that Alice students shouldn't use their, well, Alices. It will be terribly unfair on the part of their own normal students to fight with people with magical voodoo powers. The Academy and the schools came to an agreement and now, The Norm Festival, which it has been called, is now being currently enjoyed by everyone inside and outside the Academy.

The Norm Festival is a semi-annual, wonderful experience for all people involved in it. No one went against it given the fact that it's the first time ever that the Alice Academy could enjoy its freedom.

Events vary from fields connected to sports, science, arts and music, giving students and professors great opportunities to exhibit their normal talents. But what mostly excites the people, both women and men alike (but mostly women), is soccer. Natsume Hyuuga, being a popular heart throb since forever, was recruited by the team and got easily promoted as Captain. His looks and skills are the reasons why people watch soccer games. He led the team to a straight 13-0 win-loss record. Girls crowd up the coliseum whenever his team goes to practice, much to his distaste.

Natsume is currently in his dorm, just arrived from practice. He seems to be a lot stressed more than usual, maybe because of the nearing championship.

Or not.

Mikan had not been herself for a week already, the week when his soccer practice got so toxic. He doesn't go to class much but whenever he does, he will always see her looking dully outside the window. She's always preoccupied with something and whenever he calls her attention, she will just look at him, and then out at the window once more.

What's about this girl that makes it so hard for him to read?

He will always try to think through if he did something to her that caused her indifference but he doesn't remember anything sinful.

He slammed the door behind him and punched the wall. Why is this girl giving him so much problems right now? Why would he even care? It's not like she's his girlfriend anyway.

"Focus, Natsume. You're not in love with Mikan. You only like her."

He never thought of her this much. It only started after she gave him a thick record book two weeks ago. He didn't want to take it because it's so heavy but Mikan still insisted, so he just brought it reluctantly. Her voice saying 'Don't open it until you get home.' wrung through his head, making it such a controversy to open it in public.

He looked at it, lying peacefully on his bed. He hasn't started reading it yet. He doesn't want to yet. He's too busy for practice. Maybe after the championship, he would. But it makes him crazy to know what's in the book, and what makes Mikan so affected by it.

He sighed and removed himself from his dirty apparel. He pounced on his bed and grabbed the thing.

"Just a peek." He murmured.

After scanning through the pages, his grip on the book tightened and he started sweating excessively.

"No way."

**Read and Review, friends :)**


	3. Confusion

******A/N: Here's the next chapter :) I'm so inspired to do this. I bet in a week's time, I'll be able to finish all of the chapters. But don't be too assured. **

**Chapter 2 – Confusion**

Natsume flipped nervously through the pages over and over again. He just couldn't believe it. The thick record book he thought of as a nuisance ended up as Mikan's set of love letters and drawings FOR HIM.

"Jesus Christ. Is this for real?" He mumbled.

A lot of questions kept on running through his head. Did she really make this? Is this a scam? Did she just make this to have revenge on how he teases her before? If she is ever telling the truth in this book, is he ready to answer that he loves her back? Most importantly, does he even love her back the way she does?

He didn't know what to feel. Yes, he has feelings for Mikan but he finds it very confusing (and surprising) to know that this girl, the girl every man would go head over heels for, is actually head over heels in love with him, Natsume Hyuuga, the guy on top of her "People I Hate" list since day 1. Should he be even flattered?

Natsume closed the book and sat up on his bed, brows furrowed. He ran his hand through his hair and heaved a sigh, not knowing how to react. He can't risk investing his feelings on a mere record book without much assurance. He has to call Mikan for some answers. Now.

He grabbed his phone found resting on his desk. While dialling Mikan's number, Ruka's name appeared on the screen followed by the phone emitting its call ringtone. Natsume pressed the answer button, annoyed.

"Damn it, Ruka. This is a bad time to be calling me right now. I'm busy."

"Dude, you've gotta be kidding me! What could be more important than the championship?" Ruka's voice exclaimed at the other line. Natsume sighed.

"Just get to the point on whatever news you have."

"Coach wants a meeting right now. He found a new play even better than the one we currently have." He informed.

"That's bullshit, man. The big game is due in two days! We can't possibly change our play. What's going on in Persona's head?" Natsume complained.

"That's why we'll be having a meeting, man. It'll be happening at the gym. Be there in five."

The pyromaniac paced around the room and gave occasional glances at Mikan's record book.

"Uhm. I'll be late. I have to finish something first."

"Don't even dare. You can't let yourself lose focus. You can't possibly let all our efforts go to waste, captain." Ruka insisted.

_Captain. _The word stuck in Natsume's head. He can't possibly let his coach, his teammates, and the school down. They all invested so much in this.

_Ruka's right. I can't afford any distractions. I'll just deal with Mikan after the championship. _Natsume thought for a moment before he started wearing his jeans and tee.

"Fine, fine. I'm on my way." He said before hanging up.

He gave one final look at the record book and left his room.

* * *

"Mikan, stop it. You're acting like a child." Hotaru demanded. Mikan's currently sobbing in her arms like a baby…again. She has been doing that for the past two weeks, and it's driving Hotaru crazy. Hotaru's the only one Mikan can cry to, given the fact that she's the only one who knows about her best friend's secret feelings for Natsume.

She thought it was hell enough to be able to hear the loudmouth's happy stories about her experiences with Natsume, but there came out to be a deeper hole than hell could get.

Now, Mikan won't stop pouring fountains of tears due to her broken heart, err, impatience, rather.

"Don't even make me used to having you barge in my room whenever Hyuuga hurts your feelings. I might kill that bastard if you stop doing so." The ice queen mumbled. They are currently on her bed with pillows and sheets drenched with Mikan's tears and mucus. Hotaru shuddered in disgust.

Mikan looked up to her, her eyes swollen and red. The inventor hated the sight.

What happened to her beautiful and happy best friend?

"I'm warning you, stupid. If you won't stop this, I won't be able to control myself from marching towards that jerk and shoot my most futile weapon at him." She threatened.

Mikan sat up straight and grabbed her companion's shirt. She shook Hotaru violently.

"No, no, no! If you did that, he will know about my feelings!" She exclaimed. Hotaru sighed.

"Idiot. He might even know about your feelings right now. He has the record book which holds your whole being, remember?"

The brunette blushed hard before placing both her hands on her ears.

"I don't wanna hear whatever you're going to say!"

Hotaru shook her head as she stood up and resumed in fixing her inventions.

Mikan started jumping on her bed like a mad person. Her patience is running low.

"I'm so nervous! I never liked the idea of giving it to Natsume, anyway! You're the reason why I'm suffering right now." She sang.

Hotaru looked at her in disbelief. Who the hell sings out her misery?

"Well, you're the one who made it. Wouldn't be a lot more problematic if you'll keep your emotions bottled up forever? Plus, you didn't want to tell him that you love him personally." She pointed out.

"Also, you keep on ignoring him. What the hell is the matter with you?"

Mikan sat down and started biting her fingernails.

"But, Hotaru I'm scared. What if he doesn't love me back? What if he loves me back? I don't know how to react if ever both cases would happen. I…I am not-"

"You're over-thinking what might happen, dumbo. Just go with the flow of whatever his reactions would be." Hotaru cut her off.

Mikan sighed and nodded. Hotaru is exactly what she needs during times like these. She will always know what to say, even though the inventor never had a relationship herself.

The brunette threw herself on her best friend's sheets.

"I'm getting really impatient, Hotaru. Maybe he already read it and decided to ignore me forever, because he doesn't like me back." She grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it, crying again.

Hotaru fixed the screws of her invention and added a few more adjustments before sitting back on the bed. She removed the pillow from Mikan's face and gave her a tissue.

"Or maybe he's too busy to be reading it right now. He's captain of the Academy's soccer team, remember? And when is the championship?" she asked like a teacher.

"Uhm…two days from now?"

Hotaru smiled. She brushed her friend's hair with the back of her hand.

"Exactly. And as the only person with the nullification alice, your duty is to empower the bracelets that prevent the Alice students from cheating during events. I think you should stop crying like a weakling and start doing your duty to the school. I've heard that students with powerful alices get to cheat during minor competitions." She informed.

Mikan wiped her tears and gave Hotaru a weary smile.

"You're right, Hotaru. I should focus on doing my job."

She hugged her best friend.

"You're the best." She mumbled before leaving the room.


End file.
